The Ministry Says Eviction of Squatters on 393-acre Property Is “Imminent” to Pave Way for Rehabilitation and New Investment; Tweh Farm Access Road also Inspected to Ease Duala Congestion
MONROVIA, Liberia — The Ministry of Public Works says it will soon begin evicting occupants from the derelict Hotel Africa complex as part of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s mandate to renovate aging public buildings and attract new investment.
Touring the site on Thursday, Public Works Minister Roland Lafayette Giddings told reporters that restoring major public facilities is central to improving national infrastructure. He said Hotel Africa has “lain in ruins for years,” and the government now intends to upgrade the hotel and its approximately 393 acres of surrounding land—starting with the removal of all squatters, including those in makeshift dwellings and in unapproved permanent structures.
Giddings framed the plan as a bid to “restore the pride” of Hotel Africa, once one of Liberia’s two five‑star hotels alongside the Ducor Palace in the 1960s. He did not provide a date for the eviction or details about resettlement arrangements, compensation, or the role of security agencies, but said new development proposals aimed at job creation are in the pipeline.
The minister led a high‑level delegation to assess the structural soundness of the complex, including Deputy Minister for Administration Samuka Dunnoh; the government’s chief engineer, Kieyee Bordolo; Assistant Minister for Construction Sundiata Juasemi; and Assistant Minister for Planning and Programmes Rahim Bility, among others.
Built in 1979 to host the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit, Hotel Africa once boasted a main hotel, villas for heads of state, a conference center, casino, and golf course. During Liberia’s civil war, the property was looted and damaged and later used by rebel forces. After the conflict, the site housed United Nations personnel before being occupied by civilians. Despite periodic redevelopment announcements, the complex has remained in disrepair.
In a related visit, Giddings and his team inspected works in Tweh Farm for an access road linking Point Four Junction to the Monrovia–Bomi Highway. Once completed, officials say the connector will provide an alternative route that eases chronic traffic around the Duala Market and the Beer Factory corridor.
What’s next
- The Ministry of Public Works has not announced a firm eviction date or a relocation plan for current occupants of the Hotel Africa site.
- Officials indicated that investment proposals tied to the property are under review, with an emphasis on job creation.
- The Tweh Farm access road is intended to decongest major bottlenecks on the Bushrod Island side; completion timelines and traffic management plans were not disclosed.
Background
- Hotel Africa: Constructed in 1979 for the OAU summit; severely damaged during the civil war; later used by the UN; currently occupied and in disrepair.
- Boakai administration: Has prioritized refurbishing public buildings and leveraging strategic sites for economic recovery and employment.
